Many of us understand the gut as an organ that allows us to eat, digest and absorb nutrients – but it’s so much more than that! For example, 70% of our immune cells can be found in the gut. The gut is also home to trillions of microbes, or gut bugs, known as the gut microbiota. These microbes interact with various systems in our body including the skin, brain, immune system, heart and blood vessels, and even the brain. They feed on prebiotic fibre and produce short-chain fatty acids, enzymes and other metabolites such as vitamins and amino acids that have been linked to important health benefits – so it is in our best interest to look after them.
In the first part of this webinar we take a deep dive into research in this fascinating field of gut health and learn more about the future of personalised nutrition.
The Speakers
Tim Spector
Tim Spector is a medically qualified Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the TwinsUK registry at King’s College London. His current work focuses on the microbiome and nutrition, and he is co-founder of the data science company ZOE Ltd which has commercialised a home kit for personalised nutrition . He is also the lead researcher behind the world’s biggest citizen science health project – the ZOE Covid study of over 4 million people for which he was awarded an OBE. He is the author of four popular science books, including “The Diet Myth” and the most recent “Spoon Fed” which is a Sunday Times bestseller.
Kaitlin Colucci
Kaitlin Colucci is a UK Registered Dietitian specialising in gut health and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as other complex gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and coeliac disease.
Having spent several years working in the NHS where she specialised in gastroenterology, Kaitlin now works in private practice running her own online gut health clinic, and promotes easy to understand nutrition tips through freelance and media work using the Instagram platform @themissiondietitian to help those get their gut health back on track.
Dr Sula Wingassen
Dr Sula Windgassen is a health psychologist specialising in using psychology to improve physical health. Sula publishes research on biopsychosocial approaches to gut and urogenital conditions, including in the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.